"Inktober" Challenge - Days 27 and 28

I have to admit, I'm feeling the strain of "Inktober." Drawing every single day can be fun, but it can also take a mental toll on you. I remember how much "NaNoWriMo" sometimes hurt, almost physically, and I'd tell myself, "Must...write...through...the...pain!"

Goodness knows how my job in the deli takes a toll on me, both physical and mental, and how much I benefit from a break. Even lunch breaks are surprisingly rejuvenating.

Of course, I'll never, ever give up drawing for good. But maybe, when this is all over, I will take a short vacation, at least a day or two. Then I can come back to the drawing board as good as new.

So, theme 27: "Climb."

"Ohhhhh! Banana!"

Holy banana pudding, did I play the life out of Donkey Kong games and Mario games--and I still play such games to this very day! I would spend hours on Donkey Kong 64, Super Mario 64, and Mario Kart 64; you practically needed a crowbar to get me away. While we (regrettably) don't own an N64 anymore, we do have a Wii, and a handful of Nintendo DS games. When I can afford it, I would love to buy an N64 again, and possibly even a Wii U.

Don't know why these games are so addicting, but they are. Winning them is almost a letdown; somehow, you have more fun trying to win than actually winning. I suppose when that happens, the only thing to do is reset the darn thing and start all over!

Theme 27 for Disney: "Revival Era."

The Disney era that began in 2010 and continues today. I was tempted to draw Tangled again, and then I considered Frozen (yes, I do like that movie, when it's not always being shoved in my face), but in the end, I settled for Zootopia, which came as a delightful surprise.

I'm always on the fence about a movie before I see it for myself. When I saw all the hype for Zootopia, I thought at first, "Meh, I'm not so sure." But when I finally watched it from start to finish, I realized, "Wow, this is a movie that is worth all the hype!"

Fantastic movie with a powerful moral message, and one of the absolute best Disney heroines to emerge in recent years. I'm very, very impressed with Judy Hopps; Nick Wilde is pretty cool, too.

For the record, I ship Nick and Judy as a 100% platonic couple. Not to diss those who do ship them romantically, but it kind of bugs me when people feel the need to interpret every loving relationship as sexual. What's wrong with loving somebody purely as a brother or a sister, and without the incest? Terence is that way with another girl, Wendye. They even (unofficially) adopt each other as brother and sister; their kids call them "Uncle Terence" and "Aunt Wendye."

I'm just glad that the Zootopia creators are letting us decide for ourselves, at least for now.

And we move immediately to theme 28: "The Sea/Ocean."

Of course, I thought at once of The Little Mermaid. Then I thought, "Why not get more creative with this?" I always wondered what Ariel would look like as a scuba diver, so I gave her the mask and tank and everything. I tried to make her recognizable even in her crazy gear, but I stuck Flounder on the side as an extra reminder.

Not half-bad, if I do say so myself. This gives a whole new meaning to "Under the sea!"

I also included swimming for my other picture, whose theme is, "Fall."

No need to worry; Rhiella's just pulling a "Pocahontas" on us. She'll land safe and sound in the water below, and all you'll have to do is roll your eyes and mutter, "Showoff."

To say that Rhiella loves swimming is a vast understatement. She takes to water as well as Ariel, maybe better. Some people have expressed wonder that she doesn't have gills or a tail.

Rhiella often goes for a dip in the middle of the night. No one in her castle believes she can swim, and there's no way they'll let their precious princess do such a thing, either. Besides, it helps to relieve her from the stresses of royalty, and life as a whole. Terence shares her fervent passion for the water and often joins her in the sport.

They both wish that it could somehow be possible to stay under the water while still being able to breathe and see where you're going. Well, with a little assistance from the merfolk, their descendants will find a way...